Powell River Regional Hospital District board will consider modifications to parts of the hospital district property where there is currently an encampment.
At the September 6 hospital board committee of the whole meeting, directors discussed three options for the wooded property adjacent to the supportive housing facility managed by Lift Community Services.
Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick moved a motion which included conducting an extensive fire smart program in the area, taking out brush, limbs and saplings, plus changing the space to be a more open space, yet remaining mostly treed. A staff report indicated this would require ongoing maintenance as nature will want to fill the void with plant life, but it is anticipated to be similar to the current brushing commitments for the property.
According to a staff report, this is the option staff recommended. The others included continuing with current practices, and removing all trees from the property.
Costing for the recommended option is estimated at $40,000, with up to $25,000 from a FireSmart grant, and the remaining $15,000 to be borne by the regional district, and potentially, Lift, if the society were to agree to a request.
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said the option being considered makes sense, because it would preserve trees.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen issues with the Lift/BC Housing building,” said Gisborne. “I’m wondering if it would be possible to get a copy of the lease agreement. It seems there are continuing issues occurring up there that are not conducive to a healthy social environment on regional hospital district lands.”
Chief administrative officer Al Radke said staff had the lease, which could be shared with directors.
Part of the motion also mentioned sending a letter to Lift requesting social issues migrating from its facility are addressed. City of Powell River director Cindy Elliott said prior to the facility being located on hospital district lands, there were encampments on the property.
“There were issues on that property before,” said Elliott. “The people with the social housing, they can only really monitor their own area. There were issues long before the social housing project went in there and there was a huge tent encampment we had to remove before the social housing project went in.
“If we are going to write a letter asking people to address it, what is it that we specifically want them to do? Is that within their power to do? A lot of people causing issues don’t live in their place.”
Gisborne said the proposed motion was asking Lift to address social issues migrating from its facility, but there were issues on the property adjacent before the social housing project was built.
“This resolution is putting the finger on Lift and is very much implying that the issues are migrating from their facility,” said Gisborne. “But, are they migrating from the facility? Are the people causing issues for residents of the Lift building or are they someone else?”
Property potential
Electoral Area A director Jason Lennox said the problems are more than just Lift. He said opening it up and fire-smarting it is a great objective.
“However, it is reasonable to let Lift know we are seeing an issue,” added Lennox, who asked if there were any other potential uses for the property in question.
City director and hospital district chair George Doubt said there are other demands for it. He said there is a possible Evergreen Extended Care replacement project being discussed, and the Four Tides Hospice Society is looking to establish a hospice on hospital grounds.
Doubt said he would prefer to indicate, rather than saying it is Lift’s fault that ills of society are happening on that land, that there is some FireSmart activity that can be done there, to make it less likely for tent encampments to appear on the property, and to maintain the value of the greenspace in the city.
“This needs to be approached in a positive way, rather than an accusatory way,” said Doubt.
The committee carried a motion that it recommend the regional hospital district board send a letter to Lift, asking for collaboration on social issues in the neighbourhood; that the board direct staff to implement the FireSmart option for the property in question; and that staff be directed to apply for a FireSmart grant.
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